Psychology of Disaster

Read “Project Liberty: New York’s Crisis Counseling Program Created in the Aftermath of September 11, 2001.” Explain how Project Liberty met the needs of the community and the outreach initiatives they conducted. Explain why you do or do not think Project Liberty was successful.

Donahue, S. A., Lanzara, C. B., Felton, C. J., Esock, S. M., & Carpinello, S. (2006). Project Liberty: New York’s crisis
counseling program created in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Psychiatric Services, 57(9), 1253-1258. doi:
1163462881

Go to your state’s official government web page (www.texas.gov). Locate at least two resources on the site available to victims of terrorist attacks or natural disasters addressing mental health, trauma, or coping. 

• Explain where you found these resources on the site. (Does the state have an easy to find “Disaster Assistance for Victims” tab on the front page of the site or did you have to do some research to locate the services?)
• Explain the resources that are available (victim crisis hotline, monthly trauma meeting, mental health literature to review, etc.) and how a victim would utilize these services. (Does the victim contact their state Representative, contact the Governor’s office, contact a specific state agency, etc.?)
• Explain whether or not you think the resources offered by your state would actually be helpful to victims and why. If you cannot find any resources for victims of a terrorist attack or natural disaster on your state’s homepage, describe two services that address mental health, trauma, or coping you think would be beneficial to victims and why. Explain how you think victims should be able to utilize these services and where they should be advertised for maximum exposure.